While Emma Jane appeared pleasant enough, the light didn’t reach her eyes. How had he missed it before? She played the role of the servant beautifully, but her heart wasn’t there.
He’d been wrong to chastise her. He still didn’t like her being friendly with the bandits, but he could see where she was coming from. His heart weighed heavy in his chest as he realized how hard her life had been, and how he’d never noticed before.
“I fixed you some eggs,” Emma Jane said softly as she knelt beside him. “If you’re up to it, that is.”
He tried reading her. Was the kindness because she cared for him, or because she feared him? The answer shouldn’t matter, but he found it did—very much.
“Thank you.” He struggled to sit up. “You don’t have to wait on me, you know. You’re not my servant.”
She smiled, and her blue eyes warmed. “I know. But you’re hurt, and it’s important for you to get your strength up. So eat.”
Emma Jane set a plate in front of him, then went to pick the baby up.
Efficient as always, and focused on the child. He thought again about their discussion last night regarding children. Rather, his avoidance of the discussion. As he watched her sing softly to the baby, he realized that she, too, had given up all dreams of having children.
Could they find a compromise? No, not a compromise. One didn’t have a baby out of compromise. But could they find enough common ground that would allow them to have the sort of feelings a man and woman needed to bring a child into the world?
Emma Jane would make an excellent mother.
And the more he watched her, with the sun streaming into the room through cracks in the window, the more he had to admit that she was quite lovely. Even now, with her hair falling out of its bun, her dress dirty and a smudge of something on her cheek, he couldn’t help but think everyone had been mistaken in mocking her for being unattractive.
“Is something amiss?” Emma Jane looked directly at him. She’d caught him staring.
“No.” Swallowing hard, he had to remind himself that there was still a lot unsettled between them. Any admiration or attempts at expressing such admiration was best left for later.
One of the men entered the room, carrying Jasper’s saddlebag. “Thought you might find something useful in here, miss.”
A genuine smile lit up Emma Jane’s face. “Oh, thank you, Mack. You’ve been so helpful.”
“It was nothing, miss. You’ve sure brightened this place up, and while I do regret that we can’t let you go, the least I can do is make sure you’re comfortable.”
Jasper tried not to groan. Unfortunately, he wasn’t successful, because Emma Jane looked right at him. “Is your head paining you again? I could make you some more headache powder.”
He sighed, then nodded. As much as he’d like to say he was completely recovered, he’d be a liar. And he’d need all his strength to plan their next move. Emma Jane might have faith that the gang would let them live after it was all over, but he knew better.
They might be under heavy guard, yet there had to be a way to escape.
She prepared the powder, then gave it to him. He drank it quickly, then, to ease the taste, ate some of the eggs Emma Jane had given him.
While he ate, she opened his saddlebags. He hadn’t kept anything valuable in them, especially since he hadn’t been preparing for a trip, but hopefully she’d happen upon something useful.
“Oh, my!” Emma Jane’s eyes lit up. “You found my Bible!” Then she stopped and looked at him apologetically. “That is, our Bible. I was hoping you’d see it and realize I’d left you a clue.”
Jasper couldn’t help but grin back at her. “No, it’s your Bible. I know it was a wedding gift to both of us, but it brings you such joy that I wouldn’t dream of it being anything but yours.”
He didn’t have the heart to tell her that while the Bible was important to her, it was just a book to him. But it seemed to mean a lot to Emma Jane, and if it made her happy, then he was all for it.
“As for finding your Bible.” He gave a shrug. “I may not know much about you, but I have noticed the way you always seem to have it with you.”
Then he looked around—some of the bandits appeared to be huddled over some papers. Jasper could identify Rex, and he knew that several others remained outside. As he observed their interactions, it was becoming clearer how the gang’s leadership had evolved with the arrest of Ben Perry and other key members of the gang. Of course, this meant that there was no way they were getting out alive.
No matter how optimistic Emma Jane sounded, the gang wasn’t going to be willing to risk being so exposed. Ultimately, if Jasper didn’t find means of escape, they had but days to live. The only question was why the bandits were keeping them alive in the first place. Jasper didn’t buy for a minute that they were afraid that killing him would bring about more attention. Surely they had to know, that even with Jasper having been kidnapped, there would be more people looking for them.
So what was their game?
As if he could sense the direction of Jasper’s thoughts, Rex turned toward Jasper. “I need you to write me a letter.”
“For...?” Even without looking at Emma Jane, he could tell she was glaring at him over his sullen tone.
“To your father. Letting him know you’re alive, and where he can bring the ransom.”
“I believe I mentioned that my father doesn’t pay ransom.”
Rex gave him a
